And, today, I learned that Washington Times “reporter” Anath Hartmann believes that if you change a couple of words and phrases, you can rip off my work. Flat-out steal it. It isn’t the first time, but that doesn’t make the robbery any better. Two years ago, I spent several hours researching and writing about the Hoping Foundation, a British pro-Palestinian foundation that funds ostensibly Palestinian kids’ art programs. My exclusive research and reporting found that, in fact, the money goes to HAMAS- and Al-Qaeda-controlled refugee camps to programs that masquerade as “art, but are really anti-Western, anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, and anti-American propaganda.

Sadly, the very lazy, unethical and dishonest Washington Times ganif [Yiddish for thief] Anath Hartmann didn’t feel like coming up with her own ideas or crediting my hard work. Instead, she did it the Jayson Blair way, she stole it. Below, is the main rip-off.

The Hoping foundation is a virulently anti-Israel charity, which funds programs throughout Gaza and Palestinian refugee camps, including Ein Al-Hilweh, Burj Al-Barajneh, and Nahr Al-Bared, which are hotbeds of Al-Qaeda and HAMAS activity. . . .

The Hoping Foundation camouflages the programs as “art” and “creative writing,” claiming they spread peace. But, in fact, the programs are administered by members of HAMAS.

The Hoping Foundation is a wildly anti-Israel group that funds various “arts” programs for children in Palestinian refugee camps throughout the West Bank and Gaza. These camps include Nahr Al-Bared, Ein Al-Hilweh and Burj Al-Barajneh, all known centers of Hamas and al-Qaeda activity.

The children’s programs – funded by leftist faux do-gooders like Ms. Moss and the rest of her long-culturally-irrelevant charity posse – are run by Hamas members.

I guess if you change the word “virulently” to “wildly” and “administered” to “run,” that makes your plagiarism okay with the Washington Times, which defends her obvious stealing. Moreover, Hartmann deliberately reversed the names of the refugee camps I researched and reported, a sleazy move designed to hide her blatant, willful rip-off. And you can bet that Hartmann–whose “work” has previously appeared in the Georgetown Hoya, the American Journalism Review, and the Jewish Press–has done it before. What else has she stolen? You can bet pretty much every word that’s ever appeared under her name and byline. You don’t just begin plagiarizing in your late 20s. By then, it’s an old habit. Most of her college and high school papers are probably total rip-offs.

Yup, clearly stolen, and sanctioned by her plagiarism-loving editor Washington Times Deputy Editorial Page Editor David Mastio (a former Bush speechwriter), who thinks the theft is A-Okay. (How many Bush speeches were rip-offs?) He says that because there is a tiny link to my site on the word “anti-Israel,” it’s okay to rip off an entire paragraph of my work and research word-for-word, without credit. He calls that “citing my work.” It is no such thing. Contrast that with the liberal New York Times, which finally fired Jayson Blair, after the outrage of conservatives for doing the same thing, ripping off the writing of other reporters and writers. Where’s the outrage now? I knew someone would rip this piece off, which is why I posted at the top of it:

Well, Mastio has something of a weird fetish for plagiarists–mostly women plagiarists. He was an editorial page editor at USA Today, when Reason’s Cathy Young famously plagiarized, nearly word-for-word a USA Today editorial for her then-Detroit News column, and an online column of mine for another Detroit News column. Mastio gushingly defended her plagiarism in online comments at the Poynter Institutes website. Then, when Jack Kelley, USA Today’s star “investigative reporter,” famously plagiarized hundreds of reports and op-ed columns for the paper, Mastio, I’m told, is one of those at the top of USA Today, who looked the other way and excused it, despite complaints from reporters . . . for YEARS. For Dave Mastio, honor among thieves in journalism is honor among plagiarists. He’s got your back.

Yup, stealing is okay for Dave Mastio, so long as you’re stealing words and research. But don’t try taking his money or house. In those cases, he’s a hypocrite. Ditto for his Washington Times editorials attacking Barack Obama for taking your money. Hey, at least Barack Obama is honest and open that he’s taking from you. Mastio and Anath Hartmann, well, that’s a different story. They can take from you whatever they want because–ya know?–it’s all for the cause.

And the cause is . . .? Other than stuffing their bank accounts and fraudulently earned reputations as conservative “journalists,” I’m not quite so sure what it is. Either way it has the same philosophy as those on the Marxist far left: the ends justify the means.

Below is my e-mail to David Mastio, Deputy Editorial Page Editor of the Washington Times, below, after he essentially told me “F-U” and stood by his thief. I encourage you to write him (dmastio@washingtontimes.com) and common thief Anath Hartmann (ahartmann@washingtontimes.com) . . . and to wonder what–if anything–that appears on the pages of their paper isn’t ripped off from hard-working, real journalists and writers like me. The more you read Mastio’s publication, The Washington Times, the more you are approving of and enabling Dave Mastio’s and Anath Hartmann’s stealing.

Uh, clearly reading comprehension is a problem for you, or you need new glasses. In fact, I am NOT cited. There is a tiny link on the word “anti-Israel” to my site (that’s not a citation), when in fact that complete paragraph is copyrighted and obviously stolen from my site with two words changed, as you well know. This is shameless theft, and I will now take further action, since you, David Mastio, defend plagiarism. Good to know–and I’ll let everyone else know–that you support Jayson Blair style “journalism.” I remember you back from your days at USA Today, when you defended Cathy Young’s clear plagiarism of half a USA Today editorial column, virtually word for word, as well as a column of mine, which everyone else saw was clear theft. She, too, changed a word here and there to try to get away with it, just as Jayson Blair did (but the NYTimes apparently does have higher standards after all and fired him). Some things never change. You support robbery, so long as it is in print, and chicks who steal are your strange fetish. They clearly turn you on. Bonnie from Bonnie & Clyde was clearly ahead of her time. Had she been born a few years later, she’d have your sad apologism as her defense. Well, at least you are consistent.

And now, I will make sure to let people know. Hey, I’d offer to rip off your work to make things even, but there ain’t a sentence you’ve written that’s original or worth it, sad to say. And unlike you, I don’t approve of dishonesty or fraud. But I’ll remember that you do and remind everyone, the next time your paper criticizes Obama or anyone else for stealing, since you clearly don’t have a very handy mirror. I WILL pursue this further. If only Jayson Blair was a conservative, he could get away with it . . . so long as David Mastio was his boss. Anath, you are a ganif, plain and simple, and I will make sure people know what a fraud you are, starting with a blog post. Thank you very little for your shameless stealing. Disgusting.

Schlussel Original:

The Hoping foundation is a virulently anti-Israel charity, which funds programs throughout Gaza and Palestinian refugee camps, including Ein Al-Hilweh, Burj Al-Barajneh, and Nahr Al-Bared, which are hotbeds of Al-Qaeda and HAMAS activity.

The Hoping Foundation camouflages the programs as “art” and “creative writing,” claiming they spread peace. But, in fact, the programs are administered by members of HAMAS.

Hartmann Plagiarism/Copyright Violation:

The Hoping Foundation is a wildly anti-Israel group that funds various “arts” programs for children in Palestinian refugee camps throughout the West Bank and Gaza. These camps include Nahr Al-Bared, Ein Al-Hilweh and Burj Al-Barajneh, all known centers of Hamas and al-Qaeda activity. The children’s programs – funded by leftist faux do-gooders like Ms. Moss and the rest of her long-culturally-irrelevant charity posse – are run by Hamas members.

29 Responses

DS, at the end of the day…what are YOU gonna do about it? You could file a plagiarism lawsuit vs. this person, yes no? If so, perhaps now’s the time to file. At least the negative publicity will serve as a reminder to all in the future not to mess with your work.

Otherwise, it just doesnt matter. May have to file the suit to show you’re serious.
Best of success.

Ask DS since it would be her suit. Her article strongly implies that she seems to think that it IS a material infringment. If she can demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that plagiarism was committed, then she should go ahead and file.
Got nothing to lose, and a message will be sent. If you mess with the DS, this will happen in public and it wont be pretty.
Cons stealing from cons, amazing.

I stopped reading the Washington Times (I once subscribed)after they published an awful anti-Semitic letter to the editor (not subtle, a “Jews control the world” psycho rant), with no note from the editor nor opposing view. I tried to contact them about it but received no response. So, “Buh-bye.” I know there are some good folks who are published there but I can easily access their writings without supporting the Wash. Times.

I guess these plagiarists are pretending to be brave investigative reporters while safe in their armchairs. I can’t understand why they don’t just cite Debbie, but then I am not a journalist or a thief.

Debbie does not need to file a suit. Once word trickles out about the faked article that woman will be embarrassed beyond belief and more importantly lose all credibility amongst her peers. If the W.P. has any guts they will fire her AND issue an apology in their paper, but that probably won’t happen.

It’s easier to be a journalistic hack more than ever because of Al Gore’s ingenuity. All it takes a mouse-click. However, it’s an open invitation for the purloining- putzes who just throw mud on the wall. This practice give the quality writer’s a bad name.

Cat K-I had the exact same experience with the Washington Times. I used to subscribe and then ran into a number of anti-semitic letters and especially advertisements. When I wrote to the editor, I received no reply. I could only asume that anti-semitism is an important part of their overall political philosophy-must be left over from the Moonies, I guess.

Plagiarism is a no-no. If you cite from someone, make it exactly clear who the author is – credit them if they get you to think up a new idea. They worked hard for it and they deserve the recognition that comes from their work. That’s true even if its “fair use.” It doesn’t pay in life to be a thief.

Plagiarism is borrowing someone else’s ideas and thoughts without crediting them and passing them off as your own. Its the deadliest of scholastic sins. But those too lazy to do their own work will try to crib off from others and try to pass it off as original thought. This story clearly isn’t.

In my college paper the editor once turned a paraphrase into a direct quote. That was the last article I wrote for that editor. Perhaps we can judge the quality of the Washington Times by seeing whether someone leaves or not in the next few days.

I wouldn’t bet it on it. Hey, it only “affects” Debbie Schlussel. There isn’t a universal issue and besides every one knows the Washington Times is “our” media. They are on the right side, so this thing gets overlooked. If they really do the right thing, I will be very surprised. Debbie said is she going to push them to do it. What goes for the goose goes double for the gander as well. I mean the conservative gander to the leftist goose.

I’ll have to divide this discussion in two parts so it all gets posted.

Wikipedia isn’t a reliable source but keep in mind what they cite about journalistic plagiarism:

Journalism

Since journalism’s main currency is public trust, a reporter’s failure to honestly acknowledge their sources undercuts a newspaper or television news show’s integrity and undermines its credibility. Journalists accused of plagiarism are often suspended from their reporting tasks while the charges are being investigated by the news organization.

The ease with which electronic text can be reproduced from online sources has lured a number of reporters into acts of plagiarism: Journalists have been caught “copying-and-pasting” articles and text from a number of websites.

Basically, the emergence of the Internet has made stealing easier. This brings us to David Mastio and Anath Hartmann – why should any one believe anything their newspaper says – when they lack ethics and professional credibility. Keep it in mind when they launch attacks on Obama and the Left. Its hard to be an honest critic when you’re doing what you shouldn’t be doing in the first place. If the Washington Times aspired to the standards of the New York Times, Mastio and Hartmann would already be shown the door. Its sad conservatives excuse this kind of conduct. Then again as Debbie noted, the Left has no monopoly on fraud, dishonesty and plain old-fashioned stealing.

I know why they won’t site DS — the newspaper “journos” think “bloggers” are beneath them — when it suits them of course. Hopefully something positive comes out of this and a ton of people see this and starting reading this site!

If conservatives want to have credibility and respect, they must live by the standards they want for society. If they follow the ends justify the means dictum, they’re the mirror image of the Left in deciding that every man does what is right in his own eyes. That’s really the crux of the issue Debbie has raised, isn’t it?

I’m not surprised by this disgusting plaigarism, it needs to be called out for what it is, whether from the Left or the Right. The media across the board, are obtuse, sloppy, inane and routinely lie, so why wouldn’t plagiarism come naturally to them? It’s a natural extension of their allround intellectual laziness and mendacity. What is really galling is that they think they can just get away with it, like crooked politicians, business as usual.

I know it’s not quite the same but I used to work for a salesman years ago in the industrial supply business who I would prepare very extensive reports for customers. He was the field guy, I was the inside CSR. I went with him one day to meet the customer and deliver one of these monthly reports only to discover that he had taken credit for this report and all others I had provided over time. Even with me standing there, he gave me no credit. I was so angry but what could I do? Nothing. He was higher on the food chain so I had to just take it. Pisses me off to this day. So I can understand how Debbie feels. Nice that she has a venue for calling these thieves out!

As many on the right have noticed, the Washington Times is in big trouble, and has downsized repeatedly over the last several months. Of course, this should be no excuse.

Saying that, however, Debbie might be expecting too much in that most journos are not very smart, and are quite unaware of standards that should apply to the press. Ironically, this is due in some measure to the print media’s late but now earnest embrace of Internet reporters and bloggers, and their general lower standards.

In short, the personality of print is changing and is looking every day more like the blogs. On blogs, for every “hat tip” you see, there are thousands of postings of “borrowed” material with no attribution.

Red, bloggers are usually attorneys or people with some academic training. They can understand and relay all aspects of an issue far better than most reporters can. And most reporters do have an agenda. They just don’t admit they have one.